This archive includes blog posts published by the Military Working Dog Team Support Association prior to 2016, as well as miscellaneous content that is now out-of-date.

MWDTSA, founded in 2006, has served hundreds of military working dog teams in all branches of the service. We provide care packages to handlers and K9s serving in global combat zones. We schedule recognition events for active duty teams at home station kennels.

As well, we support veterans causes and much more. The blog posts in this archive cover a range of topics, from kennel visits to donor thank yous. For more stories, also check out our Kennel Talk archive here: https://www.mwdtsa.org/kennel-talk-newsletter-archive/

Will you become part of MWDTSA’s story? We are seeking volunteers to help in variety of roles, including fundraising. It’s an honor to support our troops, both the two-legged and four-legged variety! For more information, visit https://www.mwdtsa.org/.

Flag presentation

Sabine with plaque and flag

MSgt Ferguson on Blackhawk Iraq

Ken Besecker presenting flag to Fabio Yepes. Sabine Yepes (store owner) and Jennifer O'Neill and Jeff Taylor (store employees) look on.

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In unincorporated Macedonia, Georgia is a wonderful business called TC Country, a store that specializes in the country life. They carry feed, seed, country and western clothes, gifts and supplies for horses, dogs and cats. The store is owned by Sabine and Fabio Yepes and has been a stalwart supporter of Military Working Dog Team Support Association, Inc. from the beginning. They helped in so many ways as we got our organization started up and running by giving us wonderful donations and great pricing along with spreading our news by word of mouth to their customers.
Over the year and a half or so that we’ve been sending support to Iraq and Afghanistan, we shared their story with some of the dog handlers. One of the handlers, a Program Manager in Iraq, asked if we would be interested in having an American flag flown on a dog mission to later present to the Sabine, Fabio and their staff. We did just that. In September of 2008 we were finally able to get everything together to make the presentation. Here are a few photos of that day. Thanks again Sabine, Fabio, TC Country staff and the wonderful customers who have so generously shared their gifts with the dogs and handlers. We are also including a photo of the Program Manager that made the event possible.

Donations and support

More items donated by MS. Wilson
Items donated by Ms. Wilson

Items donated by Ms. Wilson

Donated items from Top Dogs

Donated items from Top Dogs

James Kessel and Egon at Top Dogs

James Kessel and Egon at Top Dogs

Egon at Top Dogs

Egon at Top Dogs

MWDTSA has had some amazing support for our missions this past week. We received a wonderful check from Top Dogs Pet Boutique which will assist us with the postage costs of sending boxes of holiday support. In November we kicked off the fundraiser at Top Dogs with an opportunity to meet two Vietnam Veteran Dog Handlers and one currently retired Military Working Dog, Egon. The warm reception that we received at Top Dogs and the incredible support from their customers was heartwarming.

Additionally, we received a thoughtful and generous donation of in-kind products to be sent to the dogs and handlers. It was rounded up by one individual with the support of some of her friends and was so overwhelming that it really finished out most of the shopping that we needed to do for the holidays. Truly an inspiration. We’ve spent the better part of this week packaging Priority boxes and heading up to the local Post Office with “hand trucks” full of packages being sent to various kennels.

The local post office staff has adopted us as their own. Sometimes we hear grumbling behind us as we wait in line with an obviously large and time-consuming number of outgoing packages, but when people comment and we let them know the boxes are for the dogs and the troops, they immediately settle down and smile- usually sharing a story about their own loved ones who have been in harm’s way along the way. It is this kind of support that makes me know what MWDTSA does touches many more people than just the handlers.